37mm
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Posts posted by 37mm
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25 minutes ago, Combatintman said:
@37mm - sure but best practice should be the standard we aim for and of course there is a potentially new demographic coming in via Steam who may be less inclined to shrug shoulders. I'm pretty sure there was a heated debate over one of Paper Tiger's CMBN campaigns that featured missions where players couldn't achieve a victory by design.
Well campaign progression is a slightly different subject... as for the Steam players?
I suspect they're not going to like it when they find out CMFB has only two user made campaigns... whilst CMSF2 has ~50.
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I'll counter-signal @kohlenklau & @Combatintman a tiny little bit.
If people were really that concerned about a scenario with poor VP's they could load up the scenario in the editor & adjust the points themselves. Then tell others about the improvements they made to the VP's... perhaps even put up their improved version.
I've been playing CM for nearly two decades & I've never seen or heard of anyone doing this.
Not one.
Compare that with the time limit thing where people do seem to have genuine disagreements over these things, tastes change over time & different play modes or play styles exacerbate time limit differences... as a result many people regularly post that they adjust scenario time limits themselves.
In my opinion, most people play a scenario for fun & barely take notice of the final result screen... if the points seemed a little off they would shrug their shoulders & just say "well it was a free scenario".
I say that it's perfectly reasonable to create scenarios for this silent majority... rather than a vocal minority.
In the early days of CMx1 & CMSF this was the norm & there was a vast quantity of user made scenarios, maps & even campaigns as a result.
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13 hours ago, dbsapp said:
Is it true?
I've been wondering if it is so since I begun playing CMBS.
I personally have never tried it, but not so long ago somebody (I can't recall who... but they were a long time player) mentioned that they only ever played on the lower difficulty settings for just this reason.
It surprised me too... but does make a lot of sense when you think about it.
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8 minutes ago, IanL said:
But who would those people be?
They wouldn't (or at least wouldn't have to be) beta testers... that's (as you highlight) a different skill set.
The vast majority of forums on the web have volunteer forum moderators.
Forum mods manage the forum (including the report threads), Beta testers test the games, the Super Six make the games.
This is not an outlandish concept.
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7 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:
Our system is certainly imperfect, but it works pretty well. We have more than a dozen products out there and thousands of active posters on these Forums.
We'll agree to disagree over whether "slight delay" was an appropriate term... however I think this highlights the most likely avenue for improvement.
Create some more forum moderators, I suspect there's not enough for a forum of this size anyway, and as part of their remit they can manage a stickied reporting thread (keeping it clear of useless discussion or fake bug reports) for each game family.
That means you guys & the Beta testers will only ever have to visit that one thread to find issues that have been raised & we will at least know that an issue has been seen.
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20 hours ago, mjkerner said:
Complaining about one or the other I understand, but both?
To be fair, although I agree the schizophrenia is a little annoying, we have a situation where a bug first reported four years ago appears to have been not important enough to have been fixed... but was important enough to (slightly) delay a major module release.
No matter how you cut it, there are problems with how bug reporting (and acknowledgement of said reporting) is taking place... a problem which then exacerbates other communication issues between BFC & some of its customers.
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50 minutes ago, Erwin said:
Is the rocket arty resupplied between missions? I can't recall if the briefing mentioned that. But, is it correct that neither vehicles nor men are replaced?
Yes... the "short, sharp rocket barrages" will be the same in every mission that they are in.
As per the campaign briefing...
"Throughout the campaign Ammo supply will be very generous, Infantry reinforcement is generally plentiful but any lost vehicle's may be difficult to replace."
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42 minutes ago, Erwin said:
Probably.
BTW: I found the units acting a little odd. I had inf with a clear view of enemy inf at close range and my guys wouldn't fire.
Also, it isn't clear, does one get any artillery resupply? The rocket arty is very inaccurate and I only had between 14 and 40 shells available at each of the 3 batteries.
Also, I guess my BTR's and "SUV" took crew casualties in the previous missions. It seems that unless all seats are full one cannot drive or target at anything with the BTR's. Not getting replacements is tough as well.
The "short, sharp rocket barrages" are the same in every mission you get them, similiar to the Hind-D's in the original campaign I wouldn't expect that much from them other than a lot of noise... I usually amass them all on one target.
Just like the original, the campaign can be damn tricky... however there are multiple campaign paths* so a defeat may not be terminal (indeed it may open up missions you could never otherwise play).
With multiple AI plans for each mission the campaign was designed to be replayed.
* I know @Fredrock1957 made a campaign path map... but I could never find it.
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On 4/18/2021 at 11:32 PM, Cepheus76 said:
Thank you all for your insights and head-ups for potential pitfalls!
One other thing... one could make the case that CM "difficulty levels" are the "wrong" way round.
Playing on 'basic training' gives the AI access to faster artillery.
Playing on 'Iron' however means you can easily figure out what each individual unit thinks is going on in the battle taking place around them... it's entirely possible for instance, with regards the ATGM, that the unit was both surprised by the enemy Leopard & struggled to get a fix through smoke, dust & foilage or whatever.
However, the god like commander high in the sky, is screaming at that same ATGM team wondering why it isn't firing at the Leopard.
There was a thread recently where a CMRT player didn't see that one of the enemy tanks was in a ditch and was therefore surprised that his own tank didn't have a perfect spot.
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Here are the files for the campaign & the two unpacked scenarios found inside it.
Here's what it looks like in (modded) CMBN...
... I imagine the CMBN Italy Mod (recently put up by @Bootie in its entirety) would be a good fit.
I tried a quick hex edit to get the map into CMFI but it didn't work (presumably units will have to be deleted).
Saving one out of four isn't a bad result... but it does make one hope the other three maps are still out there somewhere.
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Infantry no longer retreat out of buildings as of the latest patches.
The ATGM issue could have been caused by arming distance problems (some older ATGM warheads will not arm within 500 metres!) or just bad luck... without details it's difficult to tell if it was an issue at all.
I doubt these fairly minor issues were really that significant a block for your mate... but if they were deal breakers (and considering its very rare for BFC to patch their demo's) it might be an idea to try the CMBS (or the WW2) demo's.
I'm pretty sure all those demo's are still at engine v3 and, although that engine features less sophisticated infantry behaviour, it was also less finicky right off the bat.
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52 minutes ago, snake_eye said:
@37mm Just posted a message in your box with the folder's WeTransfer link of the files seen in the two pictures. You will have some pictures of the play test I made at the time and some documents about that battle
Enjoy
I have the files... it would appear, that at least one of the maps has been saved.
I've also discovered there was a playtesters thread for the campaign.
I don't suppose you happen to remember who your fellow playtesters might have been?
If any of them are still active, they might have the other maps.
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Just now, borg said:
aaaaaaa this little link mod u sent me. WORKS. so what do I need to do ?
Well... change every .wav in the H&E modpack to the settings used in the test .wav's (48000 Hz IIRC).
Or wait until I get round to it (now that I know the test settings work for macs)?
If you mean the "Tags for scenario creators" folder then no... not unless you intend to create some scenarios.
If you mean the various "zzz tagged options" in the H&E modpack... yes, they are very much needed. Keep them in the modpack.
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59 minutes ago, Erwin said:
Re the earlier in-game pics you showed of riverine vessels and the M-48(?) etc. Which scenarios or campaigns do those appear in?
Major Nguyens Command has relatively few building/terrain changes... maybe that's what you're seeing?
M48's &/or Riverine vessels make a number of appearances in "The 2nd Battle of Ikke", "Major Nguyens Command" & "The Special War".
A Riverine vessel also makes a surprise appearance in one of the scenarios.
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39 minutes ago, borg said:
dear all. I have installed the mod., copy copying pasting as a Z folder under data. It seems I have no sound hmmm... I use a Mac OS.. Anyone had this .?
You've reminded me, one person mentioned it during the Open Beta... they too had a mac.
I arranged some test files to see if these could be heard... but recieved no feedback.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ar0-nWIeMPIA3EmT56jdkljQwwWx?e=Y1gNNx
Add to an empty mod folder.
The only placeholder fix I can think of would be to search for every .wav in the modpack then cut them out & put them elsewhere for now (out of the mod folder).
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34 minutes ago, Erwin said:
With my normal volume setting I found the walking sounds very quiet so have replaced em with louder ones that I was using elsewhere. However, I was surprised to see that you have "walk on snow" sound bmp's. Is there snow in H&E?
And also, I put in the rain forest jungle sounds that I think were made for an Africa mod. It's fun to hear the squawks of parrots and other jungle sounds etc.
Thanks Erwin!
I intend to eventually fully port the ME soundscape into all games (CMFI is next... so many voices) , including those with snow.
Play around with the sounds to your heart desire, I've made all non combat sounds are much quieter than normal (footsteps included... although I, personally, think they're still a bit too loud when you get close to your pixeltruppen).
However, by expanding the "dynamic range" in this manner, you can actually play the game with louder volume settings & thereby experience really intense combat sounds.
Still these things are inherently subjective.
I was hoping to figure out a way to do a proper "triple canopy jungle" [tag] which would have a much more 'junglier' ambience... but all my experiments in this regard have failed.
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On 1/6/2013 at 6:29 PM, snake_eye said:
@Winkelfried
I am glad to read that you have almost finished your campaign. For having tried to test it back in march 2012 (Montelimar to Valence V01. cam), I can write that the map of the first battle is fantastic. Writing that is far from the truth. I have never seen a landscape so well done. It is almost identical to what you might see being at la Courcoude.
The briefing is very well done and illustrated, making you want to get into the fight.
When I have seen at that time, the enormous work being done (scenario design and historical setting), I got really mad when I had difficulties to load the campaign (it took a long time) and then its first battle. You must have a clean install in order to have all the memory available. When I finally succeeded in doing it, I did not go that far, CMBN V1.01 crashdumped in the next 10 minutes of a real time battle. That was what I reported to you at the time.
@snake_eye, do you happen to still have those old test file .cam's?
This project has been dead for eight years... but you might still have those amazing maps!
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On 4/7/2021 at 12:35 AM, umlaut said:
Yep. I did a bit of experimenting with that, but never finished or released it. Mainly because using these mods leads to a string of new problems:
If they are flavor objects then they do not provide cover - and cant burn.
If they are used as destroyed and/or burning units, they do provide cover, but then the "live" units of the same type will look damaged too.A solution to this problem is to provide content creators individual tags which activate model swaps using some of the less popular vehicles in the game (or models from another game entirely)... after all, from a game perspective, you only need a large, metallic object which can burn.
Heaven & Earth utilizes numerous tagged model swaps (and will add even more in the next version), off the top of my head...
[amphib] swaps BRDM-2's, BMP-2's & both German Fuchs with boats of various types.
[hotlz] swaps a uaz with a helicopter.
[cache] swaps a uaz with a large pile of boxes.
[bhcw] swaps a M1129 mortar Stryker with a Kubelwagon... then makes it entirely invisible.
[bhcw] swaps the Technical pick-up trucks with various armed jeeps & trucks. Oh & the zil truck is swapped with a WW2 Soviet truck.
[m48] & [m48a3] swaps different T-55 models into Pattons.
[acav] swaps a BTR-60 with an M113 ACAV.
By default, in the modern era, VBIED cars & Taxi's have been swapped around & the ural truck becomes an open-topped Western one.
It's not unusual for a Heaven & Earth scenario to have a half dozen tags running (for era, equipment or uniform swaps, different environment settings & to activate different sounds or SFX).
The WW2 games, which have so many versions of the same vehicle (often with unique bitmaps), would be very easy to tag in this manner... an OT-34, very early model Shermans borrowed from CMFI, the Sonderkraftfahrzeug Gleisketten-Lastkraft Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30... with a radio etc, etc
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I've been working on & off on this for awhile but I'm finally ready to release an "Initial Beta" for the CMSF2-Afghanistan modpack...
Mods used, include...
CMA terrain (tweaked & resized for CMSF2),
CMA trees by @Bil Hardenberger (reordered & tweaked for CMSF2),
A mix of (tweaked) foliage from @SeinfeldRules & @Kieme(ITA),
ANA, Taliban, poppies & walls by @Zveroboy1,
US Uniforms by @IICptMillerII,
Other uniforms by @JMDECC,
A mix of buildings by @Zveroboy1 & @Kieme(ITA) (although reworked to standard resolutions),
A bunch of vehicle mods... mostly by @MikeyD or from CMA,
ME soundscape 1.5 alongside (subdued) voices from HQS & extra Afghan FO voices & ambient sounds,
ME Effects (beta 4),
"Heaven & Earth" skybox plus background by @Kieme(ITA),
@BarbaricCo movie mode shaders,
Flavour objects from CMA & (for the [mountains] tag) its background,
Modified CMSF2 @Vinnart icons (as per "Heaven & Earth"),
Modified @xacto Chaos theme UI,
Afghanistan music extras.
So far, there's only one tag in the modpack, [mountains] which can be activated by the usual CMSF2 method... however I've also added a number of zipped mods which can be unpacked when required...
@Zveroboy1's ANP Technicals,
A rudimentary 'Dutch to ANA' mod (for use with the 'Heart of Darkness' campaign),
Updated CMSF2 'Marsh to Water' mod (again, for use with the 'Heart of Darkness' campaign).
Here's the download link, as per usual with my stuff, it's advised to put all of this into an EMPTY mod folder only.
Some screenshots...
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4 hours ago, sawomi said:
Of course it will.
But mods have to be in the {userdocs}\Battlefront\Combat Mission\Shock Force 2\Data\Mods\Z folder.
The question is, will the steam installation use a different location for this or the same.
The Steam version indeed uses a different mod folder (as well as different campaign, map & scenario folders)... the install locations for either version are described both in the manual & the People's Beta thread.
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A story...
Back in the year 2008, @MarkEzra made a quirky scenario featuring an intrepid reporter looking to take a snapshot.
This year, that scenario has been converted & used as a tense assassination mission set in the villages of Bong-Hai...
Mods are almost pointless without content & scenario creators.
Even if you have only a half-finished scenario or a half-baked idea, send us a PM... get in the game.
Shall try to start an unofficial screenshots thread?
in Combat Mission Fortress Italy
Posted
Still tweaking the ME soundscape for WW2 battles (there's at least two different versions for the BAR in the following vid for instance), but I think I'm getting there...